In a private meeting with several victims of clerical abuse, Pope Francis asked for their forgiveness, and said that the Church had been wrong in its handling of the crisis. This is his first meeting with abuse survivors since becoming pope.
The Vatican quoted Francis as expressing personal ‘‘sorrow’’ in his homily at a private Mass with six victims Monday for the ‘‘sins and grave crimes’’ of clerical sex abuse against them.
Added the pope: ‘‘I beg your forgiveness, too, for the sins of omission on the part of Church leaders who did not respond adequately to reports of abuse made by family members, as well as by abuse victims themselves.’’
‘‘This led to even greater suffering on the part of those who were abused and it endangered other minors who were at risk,’’ the pope said, according to the English translation of his homily, delivered in Spanish.
The pope met individually with each person to hear their experience, before bringing them all together for the mass.
Read the whole sermon here.
Read the whole story here.